The Fascinating Podcast

What would happen if we reimagined church from the ground up? Jazz musician and pastor Mark Glanville joins us for our second installment of Faith After Church. How has jazz helped Mark totally rethink what Church can look like? We should mention  that Mark brought his piano...

How should we respond to the genocide in Gaza? We explore the complexities of US foreign policy, the origins of Evangelical Zionism and its anti-Semitic nature. What responsibility do we have? What can we do? 

Is there a church anywhere in the world where single Christians are flourishing? Why are churches so indifferent - or outright hostile - to the unique struggles and strengths of single Christians? Anna Broadway joins us to share her round-the-globe tour of Christian singledom. PLUS: you won't believe how Anna met Kathy. And there's a certain book award we have to talk about!

Talking heads all over the country are warning we're headed for a second civil war. So is a movie called CIVIL WAR about exactly that a good idea? Kathy and JR. consider how that may be the wrong question as we explore Alex Garland's latest film from A24. What does it have to say about journalism? About politics? About being American? JR.'s article on 'Civil War' for Sojourners

What does faith look like when the church fails us? We reflect on our faith journeys - how we've all moved out of the institutional church in different ways. We explore what that has looked like, consider the state of our faith now and imagine what comes next. Join us for part one of a two-part discussion!

Some say we're living in the age of remakes, reboots and legacequels, but the truth is that we've been retelling stories since that first "Once Upon a Time..." In honor of the release of James , the new retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , we explore why we enjoy retelling stories, what separates the good retellings from the soulless remakes and even... what happens when the Bible rei...

Why isn't police reform happening? Despite massive waves of sustained protest around the country, policing seems to be stuck. Dr. Daniel Reinhardt, an officer for 20 years, insists the problem is the internal culture of policing. How can we change that? Daniel joins us to explore what ordinary citizens can do to make real, systemic change. 

It's the annual Fascinating Pop Culture Madness tournament. From Prince Harry to the boat-killing Orcas to the best T-Swift Team up, our patented, professionally calibrated bracket leaves nothing to chance. Listen up and get ready to cast your vote in the final game. Who will reign supreme this year? It's up to you! The 2024 Fascinating Pop Culture Madness Bracket

Why are the people with the most power so often the most miserable? Author Naomi Kanakia joins us to reflect on the way oppression hurts everyone - even those who oppress. We also explore the possible limits of found family and what's so great about the so-called Great Books. Naomi's newsletter, Woman of Letters The 2024 Fascinating Pop Culture Madness Bracket

Ben Winters returns to the show! He's the creator and executive producer of the hit new CBS show Tracker . He's got oodles of Audible original short novels! And his latest novel, Big Time just dropped! Will Ben reveal the secrets of his prolific career? Is it possible he is releasing something else this year? Just how long ago was the 90s, exactly? All this and more in his triumphant return!

This weekend is St. Patrick's Day - but beyond the green and the clovers, what is Patrick all about? Host Matt Mikalatos takes us into his new book, Praying with St. Patrick, to discover what wisdom Patrick has to offer for us today!

Killers of the Flower Moon is getting a lot of attention in awards season - and a lot of praise for its depiction of Native Americans. But Dr. Randy Woodley, Indigenous screenwriter and activist, cautious us against rushing to heap praise upon Martin Scorsese's latest. We welcome Randy to share his experience in the film industry and how he has navigated the conversations around this film.   Conne...

The gang is back! In a season premier tradition, we catch up on what we missed on break. Then Matt challenges JR. and Kathy with some slang new and old. And of course, a feral hog update. 

It's the last episode of the season - and the year! On our season finale, we count down our favorite books, movies and more. Plus, we share some of YOUR picks!

Surrogacy is an act of service for another, one that involves a whole body, and two families. What are the ethics of surrogacy? And why don't our laws reflect the modern science of surrogacy? How can surrogacy be unjust? Dr. Grace Kao joins us to explore the complexity of this act. PLUS: some of our least favorite Christmas traditions! Connect with Dr. Grace Kao Website | Instagram

The surprise hit of December is GODZILLA MINUS ONE, the latest Japanese Godzilla movie. Since we all saw it, we do a spoiler-free reflection on why it's so great - and why you should try to see it if you can! Plus, since Christmas is approaching, we explore some of our Christmas favorites. 

The author of 1 Timothy says he doesn't permits a woman to teach or have authority. He also says women are saved through childbirth. So does that mean women can't preach? Does it mean women can only be saved by having babies? Um... probably not. Dr. Sandra Glahn returns to the show to take us to the ancient city of Ephesus. What do we need to know about Artemis of the Ephesians to make sense out o...

The Marvels is the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it's been a box office flop. So why do our three co-hosts like it so much? We review the film, including what worked for us and what didn't so much. 

For decades, science fiction writers imagined a future where religion had gone extinct. But in M. V. Melcer's new sci-fi thriller REFRACTIONS, religion is alive and... if not exactly well, then thriving. She joins us to explore why religion isn't going anywhere - even as technology continues to advance. PLUS: time-travelling telescopes and more! M. V. Melcer's Website

The F.B.I. played a key role in the development of White Christian Nationalism. Sound like a tinfoil hat conspiracy theory? Dr. Lerone A. Martin joins us to share the receipts. His new book THE GOSPEL OF J. EDGAR HOOVER shows how F.B.I. Director Hoover worked with evangelical leaders like Billy Graham a generation before the Moral Majority and the rise of the Religious Right. Hoover wrote essays f...

Should Christians watch horror movies? What about movies about demonic possession? Film critic Josh Larsen returns to the show to take us into his new book FEAR NOT. We explore the role horror can play in creating spiritual conversations and even in spiritual formation! Episode Links: Larsen on Film (website) Josh on Letterbox Think Christian (website) Filmspotting (podcast)

Our own JR. is a contestant on Season 5 of Press Your Luck! He takes us behind the scenes from how he got on the show to the extensive casting process to the filming - and yeah, getting to meet the host, Elizabeth Banks. 

It's time for another Fascinating-on-Fascinating interview! With the launch of their new book, Kathy and Matt share the hot seat to dish on what it looks like to disagree well. How did their book on civility turn into a meditation on the fruit of the Spirit? Why is civility too low a bar? Plus: a deep dive into kindness, because nice isn't a fruit of the Spirit!

Alex Shvartsman returns to the podcast! The new book in the Conradverse features Conrad Brent, the magic Batman, facing off against his most challenging adversary yet: bureaucratic incompetence! We take the opportunity to reflect on why leadership so often fails to govern well, including a look at the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy as the Speaker of the House. PLUS: Which horror movie monster...

Why hasn't America ever faced its original sins of chattel slavery or genocide against Native Americans? What's at stake if we were to face those sins? What might confession look like? What about repenting or repair? On the season premier of the Fascinating Podcast, Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg joins us to frame this conversation for us. How does she find hope in the face of our national reluctance? PLU...